News Posts
Casting for The National Library of Wales ‘Your Wales’ campaign featuring agency talent Jo-el Bertram.
The National Library of Wales is based in Aberystwyth and is home to 6.5 million books and periodicals. Their latest campaign showcases their incredible services and creative ambitions.
Casting for The National Library of Wales ‘Your Wales’ campaign featuring agency talent Jo-el Bertram.
The National Library of Wales is based in Aberystwyth and is home to 6.5 million books and periodicals. Their latest campaign showcases their incredible services and creative ambitions.
The campaign was a success, with us raising enough funds to continue working online during the pandemic and beyond, as well as managing to match-fund donations from generous supporters! Here’s what some of our tutors and students had to say about online classes:
“Online classes help me develop my skills and confidence a lot. I find it amazing how we can all still communicate while being apart.”
– Chase, Academy student
“I love online classes because it’s a safe space where you can interact with your friends. They keep us super healthy and have really helped me develop my performing and dancing skills. Jukebox is just one big family.”
– Leila, Academy student
“This platform allows people to find themselves, I can see how much it is appreciated by the students that come to my concept classes. That sense of belonging and having that community really does bring out the best in people.”
– Ramelle, Tutor
February 2022
Artistic Director Liara Barussi attended a research and development trip to Jamaica with @urbancircle in preparation for their Reggae & Riddim Festival in Wales this summer.
REGGAE & RIDDIM FESTIVAL will be happening the 30th & 31st of July in Newport – in line with the Diamond Jubilee Celebrations of Jamaica’s Independence ✊🏿
A two-day celebration of the history, culture and identity of Jamaica. Featuring some Icons of Reggae Music from Jamaica and here in Wales & UK. As well as Jerk, Ital and Caribbean Food, Live Music, Sound Systems, Dance, Performance, Craft and Art Stalls, Touring Gallery, Health & Wellbeing, Attractions & Activities.
There will also be a Rasta Village with Workshops, Demonstrations, Drumming, Spoken & Taught History, Stalls and lots more to be announced in the coming weeks.
Whilst in Jamaica, Liara had the opportunity to visit the ‘Jamaica, Jamaica!’ Exhibition. Teeming with creativity and innovation, Jamaica has produced some of the major musical currents in today’s popular music landscape; yet, its rich history and diversity is often overshadowed by its most famous icon. This exhibition aims at showcasing a broader vision that has allowed the world to know the island’s music, by digging deep into its past and present in search for the roots of “rebel music”, beyond the cliché and the postcard.
The most ambitious exhibition ever staged on the topic, Jamaica, Jamaica! celebrates the musical innovations born on the island in its specific historic and social contexts, unveiling the story behind the musical genres of kumina, revival, mento, ska, rocksteady, reggae, dub and dancehall – as well as the impact of the local sound system culture, street culture, and visual arts on today’s global pop culture.
19 January 2022
We’re looking for talented young people aged 9-18 to join our multidisciplinary performance academy!
Jukebox Academy provides a unique inclusive opportunity for those with talent, irrespective of background to fulfil their potential and shape positive creative futures.
Want to get involved? Join our open day on Sunday 30th January, just fill in the application form
On the 12th of September 2021 Jukebox Collective hosted SUNDAZE – A day of creativity, culture and vibes for the whole community.
Jukebox Collective showcased a variety of local artists sharing new perspectives that are shaping youth culture in Wales. The community event included a full day of dance, fashion and music workshops, live music sets, DJs, art installations, and spoken word performances alongside food from local street vendors The Real Ting & Life Juices.
Creative workshops
Creative workshops included sessions with Ophelia Dos Santos, Bethan Mary-James, Reuel Elijah, Mace the Great, Temeka Davies, The Real Ting & Life Juices.
Dance workshops
Dance workshops included Litefeet with Nottingham based dancers @diggyrose @jayjaybull, @sytmith from @Take1dance, Popping masterclass with Brooke Milliner, Breakin’ with Bboy champion Youness El Mouaffaq, female only afro-dance with Plamedi and a soul train workshop with Jukebox tutors Truli and Patrik.
Local Vendors
Local brands selling their work and products at the event included Lab Creatives, Al-Naeem Magazine, Scrunch & Stretch, Marca Design, Bean Head and Noble Sol.
As part of SSAP’s (Sub Sahara Advisory Panel) ‘Jamii Project’ we curated and delivered a series of online creative workshops to support the wellbeing of Jukebox Collective’s and SSAP’s communities during the pandemic. Workshop leaders included Bethan Mary-James, @plamedi_santima @talktococo @tayloredmonds @idrissanimbacamara and @opheliadossantos
In June 2021, we began a community-led investigation into the Welsh cultural scene. We co-hosted sessions with 50 Welsh creatives and diverse communities about how Wales could better embrace them, their creativity and ambitions.
Our sessions were hosted by Welsh creatives Karimah Hassan, Liana Stewart, Ibby Tarafdar, Bethan Mary-James, Fadhili Maghiya and Yusuf Ismail, covering events, spaces and artist development.
Our collective ideas and experiences are now being shared through the creation of a report that highlights the cultural vision of emerging Black and diverse Welsh creatives. Over the next few weeks we’ll be sharing insights from our report and introducing you to the people shaping the future of Welsh culture.
This project was designed and delivered by Jukebox Collective through funding from the Arts Council of Wales ‘Connect & Flourish’ grant. To read the full report you can get in touch and email future@jukeboxcollective.com to dig deeper into our insightful conversations and ideas for the future.
The report was also shared during a launch event in collaboration with VANS. Find out more here.
10th January 2022
Come dance with us – community classes are back this week!
Check out our timetable for details of age ranges & locations
Let’s get moving!
19 January 2022
We’re looking for talented young people aged 9-18 to join our multidisciplinary performance academy!
Jukebox Academy provides a unique inclusive opportunity for those with talent, irrespective of background to fulfil their potential and shape positive creative futures.
Want to get involved? Join our open day on Sunday 30th January, just fill in the application form
OPEN CLASS
This class is an open invitation to our world. Each week we mix it up with different tutors from our Collective, giving you a rotation of our best tutors and leaders, sharing their skills across some of our favourite street dances: popping, hip hop, locking, breakin’ and more.
VIRGIL ABLOH’S COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY SERVICE
“Systemic change starts at the grassroots level, from the collective efforts of people taking action and lifting up their own communities. I’m committed to helping ensure that this social revolution is not just a moment but a movement – and I am holding myself to task.” – Virgil Abloh
Virgil Abloh was committed to creating long-term shifts in society and the influence of his work spans beyond fashion to uplifting Black voices and showcasing Black talent and achievement. We’ve highlighted some of the amazing initiatives he set up and the breadth of community service he gifted to the world.
DIVERSE HIRING
Virgil launched the OFF-WHITE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM In 2020. A paid internship program in Milan for young Black people who want to build a career in fashion. Interns become part of the core Off-White team and gain exposure to every part of the creative process, including brand content creation, design, and marketing. They are also paired with a mentor who will teach them leadership and design skills so they can build successful careers in the fashion industry.
DONATION MODEL
“I doubled down on my fundraising and donations to open doors for Black communities across the country. My initiatives raised over $1.2 million for causes that are critical to the health and success of Black Americans.”
The Virgil Abloh “Post-Modern” Scholarship Fund
“Opening new doors for the Black community has always been and always will be the focus of my career.”
The fund was launched in partnership with the Fashion Scholarship Fund (FSF). “Post-Modern Scholarship recipients receive $5,000 scholarships prior to the commencement of their spring semesters, paid summer internships at various fashion companies, mentorship from fashion industry leaders, and access to FSF career programming and professional development resources. In addition to his own donation, Virgil raised funds from Evian, Farfetch, Louis Vuitton, and New Guards Group – over $1 million to date, with more to come as the Fund continues to work for long-term change.
HugsNoSlugs
Virgil supported Chicago based activist Aleta Clarke and raised more tha $187,000 for her non profit HugsNoSlugs that seeks to eliminate gun violence and poverty. They raffled off a pair of the Off-White x Air Jordan 4 “Sail” sneakers through Chicago shop Notre. Aleta – aka “Englewood Barbie” has built six safe houses across Chicago to date since opening her first location in May 2020, and she provides food and COVID-19 supplies to those who need it most.
I SUPPORT YOUNG BLACK BUSINESSES
On July 31 2020, Off-White announced the launch of the “I Support Young Black Businesses” project, a quarterly fundraising program in support of organizations chosen by Virgil’s team to support the Black community. The first quarterly fundraiser sold t-shirt and hoodies for Chicago CRED, which stands for “Create Real Economic Destiny” – an organisation focused on reducing gun violence.
For the second installment of ISYBB, Virgil collaborated with Stussy to design an exclusive tee that reinterprets Stüssy’s signature “World Tour” t-shirt, in honor of the company’s 40th birthday. The shirt was produced by One Accord which is the same Black-owned screen printing business that helped to launch Virgil’s own career. He then donated a portion of the net proceeds from the sale of the t-shirts to Future of Museums, an organisation of Black and Indigenous curators, scholars, arts administrators and more, who are collectively dedicated to ending systemic racism and colonial practices in museums and other art spaces.
DAILY PAPER x SURF GHANA COLLABORATION
Virgil collaborated with Daily Paper and Surf Ghana to produce capsule collections, and through which the sale of these shirts helped raise funds to help to build Ghana’s very first skate park.
“YOUNG NIGERIAN WOMEN” STREET SOUK
Virgil collaborated with Iretidayo Zaccheaus in providing “I Support Young Nigerian Women” t-shirts in order to sustain and celebrate Nigeria’s largest Streetwear Convention.
CORPORATE ADVOCACY
SHANGHAI FASHION SHOW
Virgil used his voice within the industry to foster more inclusive environments. During the Louis Vuitton menswear fashion show in Shanghai he brought the Black imagination to life and challenged the luxury fashion status quo. Using a season-less design approach, he used locally-based models and paid tribute to the color scheme of the Ghanaian flag. Behind this show was a remarkable team of primarily Black creators. He also featured two of our generation’s most important artists, stylist Ibrahim Karama and the inimitable Lauryn Hill. At the end of Lauryn’s performance, Virgil announced that he and Louis Vuitton would make a significant charitable donation to the MLH Foundation, with all funds going to Black businesses affected by the pandemic and other hardships.
FREE GAME
Virgil launched a new mentorship series, “Free Game,” which aims to help young Black designers and those coming from nontraditional backgrounds in the earliest phases of their careers. The platform has free regularly updated resources available to all, including a how-to section, online lectures, and other learning tools about building brands, based on his own career experiences. The goal is to help those that come from the fringe be awarded opportunities usually left for the center – ultimately ensuring that the future of design, art, and culture looks different from the past.
LEADING BY EXAMPLE
Virgil set an example so that the younger generation can see people that look like them in places of power.
“Just as I have been inspired to do and be better by the exceptional Black leaders that came before me, I take seriously the importance of being a role model for the next generation of Black youth. With the platforms I have been granted, I remain committed to leading by example”
One example of this is when he participated in the METALLIC INC PANEL which convened leaders from the global streetwear ecosystem to explore Africa’s cultural renaissance and its impact on international fashion.
REPRESENTATION
“Much like Leading by Example, making space for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color leaders and collaborators is one of the key ways I am working toward a future where the Black community is represented across all fields. So much of my work revolves around bringing the Black imagination to life, and I am so excited about my recent initiatives that showcase incredible Black role models.”
Our Artistic Director Liara Barussi was a finalist in the 2021 Black British Business Awards in the category of Arts & Media (Senior Leaders) alongside Taponeswa Mavunga, Director of Africa, Sony Music UK and Miya Knights, Global Content Strategist, poq commerce.
BBA Awards asked Liara, What do people get wrong about being an entrepreneur?
“I’m not sure it’s about what people get wrong as there isn’t a one size fits all model for being an entrepreneur. However, I always envisioned ‘Jukebox Collective’ as a collective of people with a shared vision. I feel there can be an emphasis placed on ‘I’ and ultimately the best results occur when you have multiple voices, in my opinion. It takes a village to realise and execute creative projects. It’s incredibly refreshing being surrounded by younger people who lead the way and still teach me so much!”
When asked what tips Liara would give to aspiring entrepreneurs, she said;
“For me personally it’s a balance between making work that is commercially viable whilst serving and uplifting my community. I think there is power in finding your niche, honing craft and seeing how this can connect with people and move towards a collective thriving. Don’t wait for validation, you have to start from somewhere. It’s really easy to think things aren’t possible when you aren’t based in a major City but if anything, you can flourish when you create something that isn’t necessarily on your doorstep but connects universally.”
When asked how the business adapted in the pandemic, Liara said;
“The pandemic gave us space to hone in and go deeper with our work. We curated and directed a selection of short films featuring emerging Welsh talent for Festival of Voice ‘Gwyl 2021’ which premiered on BBC. A particular highlight was a community-led investigation called, ‘Future Creatives’, running sessions with local communities and creatives re-imagining the future of Welsh culture and turning challenges into cultural ambitions. This comprehensive report highlights the cultural vision of emerging black and diverse Welsh creatives, their experiences and ambitions. This report will inform the development of relevant opportunities nurturing the next generation of leaders.”
THE BBA AWARDS
Founded in 2014, the Black British Business Awards (BBBAwards) celebrates the exceptional performance and outstanding achievements of black professionals and business owners in the UK and empowers organisations with the necessary tools to attract, retain and progress their internal Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic talent.
Throughout our history, the BBBAwards has focused on research-led, impact-oriented initiatives which drive change in the talent agenda. We are proud to be a collaborative community for organisations to exchange ideas, share advice and empower each other to create working environments for all talent to thrive and succeed.
